No Longer
by MARSisred07
Summary: Sunako meets a girl freshman who hates radiant creatures like she does. BUT, what's this? she also hates her? for that reason? And then what?
1. Chapter 1: The Starting Line

**A/N: Before anything else, let me remind you, I DO NOT OWN YAMATO NADESHIKO. Of course, you know it. :)) Just in case. :))**

It's the start of another semester in Mori High. And as for our main characters, it is their senior year. Bigger responsibilities and higher level decisions come in line with that. By 'bigger responsibilities', I mean heavier challenges (especially for the four guys) which are most of the case caused by fans.

Since the four gentlemen started schooling in the Mori High, records say that the population gets higher and higher during every semester. At first, it seems overwhelming to the officials running the school but gradually, the blessing became a curse. They can no more control the growing population of the students much to the extent that they need to build new rooms to be able to accommodate the transferees. Plus, it has also been reported that the boy-girl proportion is definitely losing its balance. At first glance, it would seem that Mori High is an all-girls school because of how the girls dominate the campus. All over Tokyo, much less, Japan, Mori High has established a name, thanks to the four lads.

If that was, at first, good news to the officials of the school, it was the other way around for Kyohei, Takenaga, Ranmaru and Yuki. Not even needing to see the records, they can tell about the booming population of the school. Each day becomes harder to handle because of the growing number of their fans.

And Sunako? Still as quiet about the matter. As long as she gets a share of the chocolates every Valentine's day, she's fine with it.

Now, enough for the side stories. Let's get into the real agenda.

**No Longer**

_**Chapter 1**_

_**The Starting Line**_

"WHAT THE?" Yuki cried, "how do you think can we get to school with this number of girls ready to eat us alive?"

"It not even Valentine's Day for that matter, how much more if it is?" Takenaga sighed while peeking through a small slit in between the two curtains that are pulled close to each other to hide the view inside the mansion.

"We can't do anything against that large multitude of bitches." Kyohei weakly stated while sitting back to back with the wall near the windows.

"Hey! Watch your words Kyohei. Can you not just appreciate their love and passion towards you? Oh! I pity these lovely darlings, how can they be this passionate to this harsh guy who's calling them… Oh! I can't even say the word." Ranmaru dramatically stated, better yet disgustingly, in the other lads' point of view.

"You pity them?" Kyohei repeated.

"Yes, I do," was then the red haired guy's quick answer.

"Then why don't you face them?"

"Oh c'mon! that's a different story."

"See? What a coward."

"Why you? If you call me a coward, then what do you call yourself? Hiding here and stuff, isn't that cowardice?"

"I guess. You're also hiding, coward little Ranmaru, remember?"

"_This smells like fight,"_ the other three thought as they can unwillingly overhear the blooming argument.

"Coward little Ranmaru huh, coward lousy glutton Kyohei?" Ranmaru teased back.

"Oh yeah. See who's talking? It's the coward little Ranmaru known for his being playboy but is now hiding from the girls who are hunting him down." Kyohei just coolly retorted.

"I am not—", just as he was about to shout back, they were hissed by Takenaga.

"Could the two of you stop shouting at each other like first graders fighting over a sandwich? Shut your mouth up if you don't want to be heard and get beaten up to death." Takenaga warned.

"But it wasn't me who started all this, it was this coward lousy creature of the light glutton," Ranmaru explained, pointing a finger on the accused, Kyohei.

"You're making your own version of the story, it was y—", and they were hissed again, this time by Yuki.

"If you two want to fight each other, I suggest you do it in front of the girls so could scare them away and we could go to school safely. What do you say?" Yuki sarcastically questioned the two gentlemen at fault.

"Fine, fine," was the only answer of the two.

Then silence.

"Now what do we do?" the brightest creature with the most share of fans outside broke the silence.

"I don't know" the others, except Sunako answered in chorus.

Just as when that happened, Sunako stood up.

"Hey you! Where are you going?" Kyohei eyed her curiously.

"To school," was her plain answer.

"Huh?" the other three stated in unison.

"How are you going to do that, Sunako-chan?" Yuki asked.

"I'll pass through the main door," she replied as she was indeed walking to the direction of the door.

Just as soon that was said, she was already by the door, now ready to turn the knob open. The gentlemen did not had enough time to let what she has just said sink into their system but it was as if a sensory action that they all went running for the door and to stop Sunako's sudden action.

"Hey! That was close, you little!" Kyohei sweat-dropped.

"Why are you stopping me? I never had a hard time passing through your fans. They take the initiative to back off whenever they see me pass. So I don't think I deserve to be here."

"But you know quite well that you are our last resource for the matter," Kyohei retorted which gained him three hard knuckles on his head, "WHAT WAS THAT F-?" But he was hissed even before he finished his sentence.

"Quiet down! Will you?" Ranmaru glared at him while emphasizing each syllable of the sentences.

"Sunako-chan, he meant, you know quite well that if you do that, that could also put us in trouble, so much trouble," Takenaga explained.

"They might eat us alive, y'know," Yuki added, tears flowing from his eyes.

"And if you do that while you are with us, who knows what they might think? They might as well hunt you down, you don't want that to happen, do you?" Ranmaru shared an explanation.

They were all relieved when surprisingly, their explanations did them good as when Sunako started retreating back. She sat down to the nearest seat she could find, "But what do we do? I want to got to school now." That said, was enough to widen the guys' eyes. It was a rare chance hearing Sunako say those words, much less show interest in going to school.

"_I want to go to my sanctuary in school now" _was in fact what was really going on inside her head.

"What did you just say Sunako-chan?" Yuki questioned immediately.

"What? I said I want to get to school now." She repeated.

Just as when the guys could show their "woah!" reaction, they heard the wind whirling sounds from outside. They grew curious about it but none of them has enough confidence to check it out so they just waited inside hoping it was a rescue.

1 second. 2 seconds. 3 seconds. 4 seconds. 5 seconds. It felt like forever, when even before the sixth second ticked, the door banged open revealing a form of a lady. They were blinded by the sudden entrance of the light from the outside. They have been used to the dark a while back and it was kind of hard to get over. They all narrowed their eyes, so as to recognize whose figure that was. It took them sometime. As the figure gets closer to them, they realize it was really a lady, a familiar lady... actually… "THE LANDLADY!" they all exclaimed at the same time.

"Hello there, it has been so long, indeed!" She greeted, "how are you guys doing?"

They cannot answer in shock, she always catches them off guard.

"I heard, it's the first day of your senior year. And I came all the way here just to greet you Congratulations!" she stated, while walking towards her niece, taking her hand, "Congratulations, dear." Sunako murmured a soft 'thank you' before letting her Aunt continue, "I am sorry for this delayed greeting, but I guess, it's better late that never, right?" With that said, she started walking towards the door. And soon enough, she was outside, marking her exit from the scene. She closed the door.

Then silence. They could hear the whooshing away of the helicopter and the 'wow' and 'woah' sounds from the audience outside.

And then now, complete silence.

"W-what was that?" Yuki jaw-dropped.

"I-I don't know." The others answered, all in the same boat with Yuki.

"I-I thought that was rescue," Kyohei broke.

"Me too," the other answered.

And then another dull silence from the shock. They are even frozen to where they were situated, blinking 3 times every second in disbelief.

During that silence, slowly, they could hear the same noise they heard just a moment ago, the whooshing one. It sounds like its getting nearer and nearer. Ech of them thought that they may just be imagining things, but they are not. It's real. Just as when the whooshing sound came to its loudest, they waited. They were anticipating for another shocking entrance from the main door. But as they say, 'expect the unexpected', their predicted entrance from the main door failed, but at least not completely. The entrance this time was from the another access door in the living room. That was the door which connects the dining room and the living room. Much to their anticipation, it was no more the landlady, it was, this time, her loyal assistant.

"Please do follow me. I was ordered to send you to school upon seeing your pitiful situation, according to the landlady." He explained.

Tolerating the emphasis put on the word 'pitiful', Edward could see how the faces of the teens in front him lit up. It were as if saying, he was angel sent from the heavens.

He was caught off guard when all of a sudden, everyone started hugging him and saying their 'thank you's to him as if there is no tomorrow.

Soon enough, when if felt like forever, they are now all boarded on the helicopter which would carry them to school. They used the access door at the kitchen, which is at the back part of the house so as to avoid being seen by the girls waiting outside the mansion.

**A/N**: Okay. I know this is not what you are expecting. Sorry for the lame chapter one. I still don't know what to say yet. But I swear to make it up to you in the next chapter/s. I also do not expect you to review on this chapter yet, but at least, let me know about your anticipations. That might help me get ideas. Thanks. See you soon. Updates MIGHT be posted two to five days later. Sorry if that sounds quite long. I am in the midst of my prelim examinations and I just inserted doing this during free times so as to get inspired in getting high scores for the tests. I love yamato nadeshiko that much just so you know. Again, thank you in advance.


	2. Chapter 2: Warm Up

**A/N: Before anything else, let me remind you, I DO NOT OWN YAMATO NADESHIKO. Of course, you know it. :)) Just in case. :))**

**In the previous chapter: **Everyone is trapped in the Nakahara Mansion during the first day of their senior year because of the large audience of girls that each of the four guys attracted. In the midst of everything, suddenly came an always unexpected visitor, the landlady. Her sudden appearance is just as immediate as her retreat. Good thing, she did not forget to offer a hand to everyone.

**No Longer**

_**Chapter 2**_

_**Warm Up**_

"Woah! Good Morning!" Yuki teased as they alight the helicopter through the ladder that was suspended from it. They preferred descending at the roof top so as not to get more attention though they know quite well that going to school in a helicopter is enough to get the attention of the people. But at least, it is safer at the roof top. Only few people goes up there and if ever there would be (those really pushy on seeing them) they would still have the time to hide themselves, though they do not know where.

"What's good in the morning?" Kyohei weakly inquired as he dust off his pants.

"That was obviously a sarcastic statement, Kyohei," he pouted, somehow irritated that he didn't get his humor.

As soon as everyone has safely alighted, they finally bid their knight-in-shining-armor a 'goodbye' and a 'thank you'.

"I feel relieved! At least, I arrived school as a whole. Nothing torn apart from my body," Ranmaru declared while examining his arms and feet.

It was still kind of early in the morning so it is not quite a surprise why there are still few people in the campus. And aside from that, most students, girls, headed straight to the Nakahara mansion rather than to school. And since they were fetched by a helicopter, they were not immediately followed. They took the chance, then, to go to their respective rooms.

Their classrooms are almost next to each other since all rooms are lined up according to year levels.

They passed the first classroom and Takenaga was off. Then, two other rooms and Ranmaru said his 'see you later' too. The third to part away was Yuki, his was 3 blocks away. The last two walking alone in the hallway, then, were Sunako and Kyohei. That was because Sunako's classroom was the farthest from where they are walking and Kyohei's was before hers. As Kyohei came to pass his room, he casually patted Sunako's head and was about to enter the room when he felt like paying a second look to Sunako. _"She seems so quiet since a while back," _he recalled.

As he landed his eyes on Sunako, he cannot determine how and why he could not immediately take away his gaze from her. _"something has changed?"_ he asked his self.

He followed her by his eyes, she passed by the first door of her room, then the next door… wait! _"She just passed by the next door! That's the last entrance to her room,"_ he announced to himself.

He was about to take a step when he saw her enter the next door after the last flap to her room. _"What? Why did she entered the wrong door?"_ he asked himself again.

As he approached the door where he saw Sunako entered, the sign read 'Science Laboratory', and just at that, he figured it out, wy she was excited to going to school and stuff. Just then did he remember that Sunako's classroom is next to the science laboratory, her sanctuary second to her room.

He stopped by the door and stared a little while longer at the signage as if reading it carefully and wishing he read it wrong. When he took off his gaze, he reached out for the knob. As when he was about to turn it open, he heard some shattering of the glass and a woman's voice scream softly in pain, obviously not wanting anyone else to hear her. Kyohei was alarmed and entered immediately.

He searched the whole room for who owned that voice and saw Sunako kneeling by the shelves and twitching in pain. His swift movement was obviously worried. When he was nearer, he tried to put his cool composure so as not to make Sunako get the wrong idea. _"Get the wrong idea? What idea?"_ he echoed on his thoughts.

He kneeled beside the injured girl, "Idiot!" Kyohei started.

The room was not sufficiently lighted. The fluorescents were off. The only thing that let them see is the light from the hallway that pass trough the door Kyohei forgot to close.

Sunako, not expecting anyone else to be in the same room, turned to the direction of the owner of the voice and eyed, whoever that was, curiously. It was just a normal thing, yes, but not to Kyohei's point of view though. He felt something weird that even made him twitch slightly. After realizing what happened to him, he blinked three times analyzing the situation and as to why he reacted that way.

"BRIGHT! It's so bright!" Sunako started complaining, trying hard to save her sight from the too much radiance coming from the brightest creature she knows.

Only then did Kyohei zapped back to reality.

"I-Idiot," he stammered. And without second thought, he reached out for Sunako's wounded hand that she could no more hide because she's using it to cover her eyes.

"No! I am not wounded," she lied.

"Can you not learn being a better liar next time?" he mocked, getting a hold of her hand now.

"I-I'm fine," she lied the second time.

"Your stupid lies won't work on me,"

"Who told you I'm lying?" she questioned back as she resist Kyohei's hold on her wrist.

"Your wound tells me," he plainly said while examining her injury.

"It talks?" She irritably and sarcastically asked as she tried harder to loosen the guy's grip.

"It doesn't have to," he answered in a plain tone while his left hand stiffens its grip on her right and his other reaching to his pocket for a handkerchief, "I say you go to the clinic," he alleged in a rather demanding tone than concerned.

"I don't want to,"

"You don't?"

"I don't."

"So you would rather die than to be with Hiroshi and the others?" he was forced to give her an ultimatum which would not even work to children of four years and below.

"Okay. I'll go," she whispered, surprisingly obediently just like a four-year-old or younger. (Kyohei sure knows how to manipulate her. )

"You go there after I'm done first aiding it, understood?" he said as if really talking to a child.

"Okay."

He then, started wrapping his handkerchief around Sunako's wound to at least stop its bleeding. It sure seemed a bad cut on the back of her right hand just below the thumb. They were both too busy with the first aiding that they did not even realize their very close distance, "hey! You're not doing it right!" Sunako whined.

"I'm the one doing the bandaging so you shut up, okay?" He complained back.

"I'm the one being bandaged, okay?" she whimpered as irritably, he just stayed quiet.

Both of them were not tearing their gaze away the bandaging being done. He was half way when she cried, "Hey! Wait a minute! This is my handkerchief if I'm not mistaken."

"Eh? Really?" He calmly asked looking into Sunako's direction, and the girl unintentionally did the same. As their eyes met, they finally realized how close they are to each other. They could even feel each other's breath, plus their lips almost just a strand away.

3 seconds flat, Sunako could already feel the plotting geyser of blood in her nose. And Kyohei was anticipating the same thing, so before anything else happened, he pinched her nose and covered her eyes, losing grip of the bandaging he's almost done with. The bandaging is no more good after it fell, its now loosen, meaning he has to do it all over again. And he sighed for that. But on the positive side, at least, he saved the laboratory… or not?

Right after he removed his hands from Sunako's features, thinking that doing so would be fine by then, the sudden spurt of blood from her nose covered the whole laboratory instantly. He too, of course.

That was the reason why Sunako lay on the clinic bed and Kyohei sat on the chair beside it. The bandaging of the girl's wound was better now, thank god. He did not need to do it all again. The nurse did. It was also a good thing that the nurse assigned that time was a guy so he was LESS harassed before Sunako got attended.

"_Silly creepy girl… all this trouble only because of a small piece of cloth? Tss. Really, really silly,"_ he thought to himself.

He continued sitting there quietly, at first staring at the patient whose back was facing him, then to the window beside. He then realized that it was almost time for class and that he needed to get back to his room as soon as possible to avoid having to meet the other girls in the corridor. He stood up at that and was ready to leave the cubicle separated with the others by curtain walls when he recognized that his uniform was still covered with blood. Good thing that when everything happened, he hasn't let gone of his bag. And better, that he's always prepared with an extra uniform or two. This is one time he is very proud of himself.

Without second thought, then, he took out a uniform and started undressing inside the curtain-walled cabin. He has already completely got rid of his shirt when the patient he thought was still asleep, started screaming as if he was a ghost.

He was frightened at that and didn't know what to do. If anyone hear the scream and barge in the cabin and saw him undressed, it's his death. He was in a total panic mode that he could no more realize his actions. He covered her mouth with his hand, pinning her hard on the bed. He looked really anxious and traumatized in advance, "SSSSSHHHHH! SSSSSHHHHHH! QUIET DOWN PLEASE! QUIET! QUIET!" He begged hard as softly as possible.

"MMMM! MMMMMMHHHM!" Were the only sounds coming out from Sunako.

"PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEEEEASE QUIET DOWN. I'LL BE PLEASE," he was then already looking intensely at her, begging harder. But when she would not listen, he started dressing as fast as he could. And just on time, the curtains opened at the same time he was done with his shirt. There were large obvious beads of sweat on his temple. It was the nurse, less bad thing, he's a guy, the same nurse who attended to Sunako, "what's the matter?" he panicked.

"uh-uhm.. uh.. s-sorry for that, she was just screaming in pain, I-I poured her wound alcohol.. s-see?" He convinced as he saw the bottle of alcohol by the bed-side table and grabbed it.

The doctor's brows arched up in suspicion and sort of disbelief from his excuse. First, the alcohol bottle is closed and second, Sunako's wound is conservatively bandaged.

Reading the nurse's thought, he immediately reasoned, "s-she has another wound… Y-yeah! S-she has another wound… in her… uhm… nape!" and he knew that sounded foolish. The nurse turned a questioning look at Sunako. She just looked back at him. Kyohei broke out, "H-how do you expect her to confirm my statement if she is in deep pain?" No one else talked, he did, "and… 'silence means yes'. Yes?" [insert A/N: 'Yes?' there means a 'Right?']

The nurse's still eyeing him suspiciously. But at least, he's retreating back. _"I guess that worked,"_ he assumed to himself, _"that was close."_ He sighed, a loud one. Then he turned to the stupid patient, as to how he could best described her, and gave her daggering looks. But she was not paying attention.

"What's the matter with you? That was close, you little-!" He shouted as he approach her.

"Did anyone mention about being a better liar?" She teased and he was stopped. Not because he was strike by her joke but because she's smiling! Yes, she is. In fact, she's laughing. And neither him could not explain how and why all of a sudden, his anger was wiped away. And just then, both of them are laughing.

**A/N:** I remember saying in the previous chapter that I'll be updating maybe two to five days after the story was published. But there you go, the second chapter.

I also remember saying this line "Now, enough for the side stories. Let's get into the real agenda," but I just could not help it. Side stories are cute, aren't they? But I promise, the next chapter would really start the real agenda. So, please watch out for it. R&R please?

e wa


	3. Chapter 3: The MeetUp

**A/N: Before anything else, let me remind you, I DO NOT OWN YAMATO NADESHIKO. Of course, you know it. :)) Just in case. :))**

**In the previous chapter:** Kyohei followed Sunako to the Science Laboratory room. She was injured and got worse after losing consciousness because of Kyohei's close distance with her. He had no choice then but to bring her to the clinic to be attended. When he realized it was almost time to go back to the classroom, he first need to change into clean uniforms. Thinking that Sunako was still asleep, he undressed at her bedside. She was awoken and screamed in terror which got the attention of the nurse who was on-duty. And before the nurse got into the scene, good thing, Kyohei had enough time to dress up. He was forced to tell lies, stupid lies, just to cover up what just happened.

**No Longer**

_**Chapter 3**_

_**The Meet-Up**_

After the horrible day that started at the Mansion, then the Science Laboratory and then the clinic, Kyohei could only sigh to himself, realizing how he attracts so much bad luck that day, _"if I was just informed that the first day of senior year would be this hell, I should've just skipped it," _he thought while his stare goes through his professor. All along, he was just pretending that he's looking at the instructor's way so as not to get called because of not listening.

He removed his fake intent look from the mentor and moved it to somewhere outside the window. Still spacing out, he landed his eyes on nothing in particular. He just felt like not moving for the next 10 to 20 seconds is all. He didn't even bat an eyelid.

20 seconds is up and he shifted his eyes on another direction, still thru the window of their room. On the spot he randomly found was a girl with chocolate brown hair which was brought up to a messy ponytail that reaches her shoulder. Her bangs were on the way so he didn't had a good look of her pale face, but the sure thing is, she's a freshman, the color of her bow-tie says it.

At the looks of it, it seemed like she had just been chased, competed in a marathon race or something, because of the her obvious hard panting. Moreover, she cannot walk straight that she needed to lean on a tree for support. But whatever might have caused her _"dark and creepy aura"_, Kyohei even thought, _"its… scary"_ although he knows that as for him who is almost 24/7 with Sunako, such scene must not be much bizarre anymore. He just can't help it, _"maybe that's one thing I'll never ever get used to," _he argued.

His curiosity of the girl made it hard for him to stare away. Good thing, or not, the teacher helped him by calling him for recitation.

Meanwhile, in the next room, some other person was looking at the same scene the boy next door went trouble for. She too, cannot help looking at the girl intently though she did not know why.

Sunako eyed the brown-haired girl's every move who seemed to be really exhausted that she needed to take a seat. She took the one closest to her which happened to be facing Sunako's direction.

The girl's hard panting continued longer while Sunako still stare at her. She even witnessed the pace of her hard panting that eventually slowed down. After about a minute, when the girl has finally seemed to have calmed, she, at last, noticed Sunako's intent look upon her. And there was tension for at least 5 seconds… until the brown-haired girl tore her responsive gaze on the other. And again, started her hard panting while she cover her eyes from something that seem to be really bright that Sunako cannot even determine what. She looked around her, (but never realized that the class has been looking at her for a while), but still cannot determine what the girl is protecting her self from. When she placed her eyes on the spot where the girl was, she's already gone. And Sunako just let out a sigh. Only then did she realize that everyone has been looking at her too, the way she was eyeing the girl from a while ago. And so she was called for recitation.

Lunch break, and a familiar guy came storming into 4-B's classroom demanding for his lunch. "Nakahara! Where is my lunch? Where?" Yes of course, he's familiar to everyone. Why not, he is one of the heartthrobs of Mori High. The ever selfish Kyohei who could only care less on the attention he's gaining when his hunger strikes.

"I cannot find my lunch in my bag. Do you have it?" He inquired as he approach Sunako's table. Sunako, on the other hand, just didn't seem to mind, she remained busy eating her food.

"Hey! Are you listening? I said I cannot find my lunch, do you have it?" Kyohei repeated, with a lot more emphasis on the last sentence, but still, no response from the girl.

"HEY! MY LUNCH! DO YOU HAVE IT?" he's obviously at his wit's end and everyone could feel the tension building up. But whatever the case is, still, girls think, _"he's so cute despite his anger"_ blablabla, as if Kyohei cares. And when he's still not getting at least a responsive gaze, he lost it and grabbed Sunako's packed lunch. Sunako twitched.

"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?" she glared.

"My problem is I cannot find my lunch so I'm asking if you have it." he bluntly answered.

"It was YOUR lunch, how should I know?" she argued back, "now give me my food!" she demanded as she tried to snatch it away from him but to no avail was brought out of her reach.

"okay, now what?" She sounded a bit irritated.

"Remember, I saved you a while ago." He reminded.

"Oh! Thank you… Happy?" pretending not to get what he really meant.

"I don't need your thank you," he smirked.

"So what is it that you need?" she growled.

"I need food!" the blonde exclaimed.

"then get it for yourself, idiot!" now, the crowd has been totally forgotten.

"I won't bother you to this extent if I can, you see? I left my lunch and my wallet at home," he retorted.

"and so, the truth came out. You left your lunch and just pretending that you cannot find it in your bag, and is bothering me for your own stupidity." And then she rolled her eyes at him.

"I shouldn't have left it if we were not caught off guard, it wasn't my fault, okay?" not finding any more valid words to say.

"So wasn't mine." They keep on arguing that they both did not notice how they have been surrounded by girls offering their lunch boxes to the 'pitiful' Kyohei.

"Fine, if you're not going to be kind to me, so be it. I'll just find some other person to make the deal out of it." He sounded irritated for some reason and still haven't noticed the girls around him (although it was sort of impossible not to notice them).

"You should have thought of that earlier back," she answered plainly as she follow him with her gaze as he walk away and pass through the multitude of girls ready to give their packed lunches to him, _"besides, you can have as much lunch as you want," _she continued on the back of her mind.

Then as soon as the room fell silent after most people followed Kyohei to his room, she suddenly remembered that he wasn't able to eat his breakfast because of the incident that happened at the mansion. And the thought that she refused to offer him the packed lunch she made for excess for her self made her feel guilty. _"But again, he can have as much lunch as he want," _she wanted to convince herself , _"but at least, you should have offered him the extra lunch you packed for yourself rather than expecting some other person to help him out, poor Kyohei,"_ her conscience would argue. And well, Sunako is not very good in contradicting her own self. She stood up and took the excess lunch off her bag and started walking for the door. But even before she could reach the door of their room and could make her away out, the hallway was blocked by the girls aspiring their lunch be eaten. So she just gave up as soon, finally convincing herself that Kyohei would not let himself be hungry and would eat as much lunch as his fans would offer.

Finally, the long wait was done. It's dismissal time! It's everyone's favorite part of the schedule next to snack breaks. And casually, the four heartthrobs plus Sunako would unintentionally gather up at the front gate and would eventually be walking home together. So it was kind of odd for Kyohei to be absent. Usually, he would be the first one out by that hour. From afar back, Sunako figured that out. Takenaga, Yuki and Ranmaru are already by the gate but she could not find the one that completes the brightness of the pack so she decided to stay and let the three go ahead.

"_Why did I choose to stay behind?"_ the answer is… also unknown to herself. Maybe her guilt? Yes. That's it. Possible. And was that also the reason why she's surveying the campus for some guy of the name and face Kyohei Takano? It is right? Right.

She has been searching for 30 minutes by now but still cannot find who she was looking for. She was about to give up because she has already surveyed all the possible places her subject could go to, _"this is the last place, the rooftop" _but still, no trace of him, _"Maybe he has gone home already. Yes, probably. Maybe I should also get go-," _she was trailed off by a screeching sound around proximity. So she looked around for the second time. And luckily, she saw him. Lying on the floor, sleeping. _"okay, that looks really familiar," _she walked closer to the sleeping form of the lad and was already in the act of slightly kicking him so as to wake him up when she realized that he was not asleep, he's in a deep slumber.

It's already dusk and a bit dark too. _"He might catch a cold if he continue his sleep here" _she sounded worried at her thought, and she did not realize it was even reflecting on her face. She kneeled beside him, thinking of gently shaking him rather than her harsh idea. She lay her hand flat to the floor, close to Kyohei's face for support. Just as when she was about to pat the blonde, she felt a warm thing over her left hand only to realize it was Kyohei's left hand when he shifted his position. She did not have much time to react, or yet, it's too late to react. Once again, she contradicted herself and just stayed that way so as not to awaken him.

Another thirty minutes has gone and Sunako has also already fallen asleep. Kyohei, on the other hand was awoken when he felt something under his hand twitch. He opened his eyes and was met by the sight of two hands, one is probably his and one's not, over each other. He looked up to recognize whose that soft hand was. It was at first hard to see because it was already dark, but he could not be wrong. It's Sunako. And her face is very calm and gentle, _"just like an angel's,"_ Kyohei even thought, a thought that he wanted to erase as soon, but he could not just help it, he meant it, and the idea is even more convincing when he cannot even part his eyes from her lovely features. Her soft and silky hair whose strands brushes her face even adds more effect. He wanted to stay longer that way but could not. _"She's waking up,"_ he warned his self and gently removed his hand from contact with hers. When she was completely awake, he sat up.

"What are you doing here?" he asked casually as he looked up the sky, "It's late. Why haven't you gone home yet?"

"Hmm. Yeah. That was because I was… Uh… looking for you?" She answered obviously attempting to tell a lie but failed.

He smirked a bit, one that is barely seen, "and why?" he asked.

"Well… Uhmm… I just wanted to… to check up on you, whether or not you… you had your lu-," her question was cut off by the growling sound of Kyohei's complaining stomach.

"Was that an enough answer?" Kyohei answered straight-faced.

"You didn't?" she was shocked, "but you had many lunch choices to choose from, stupid."

"I am not stupid," he retorted.

"So, an idiot?" she teased.

"I am not stupid nor an idiot. I am—" this time, he was the one cut short by his own complaining stomach.

"Hungry?" Sunako continued for him. She then reached out for the food that she was supposedly saving for herself back then but eventually saved it for someone else.

"Here." She offered.

"WHOA! You saved me one?" he excitedly exclaimed as he grab it from the dark haired girl's hand. In the midst of his excitement, he even grabbed Sunako's hand and both of them gasped at that but of course, just took it for granted.

Kyohei ate everything up for just 3 minutes. And that was no surprise. He eats anything that fast.

Soon enough, they decided to go home already.

On their way, Kyohei was humming to himself in satisfaction from the food he has just finished off while walking ahead the quiet Sunako. When they were closing to the first left turn away from the campus, they both shuddered at the sound of a woman screaming for help and guys shouting at her. As if it was rehearsed, they turned their heads the same time and even run surprisingly synchronized. In no time, they are already to the rescue of the girl. And has soon beaten up the three bullies.

"That's all?" they both sounded disappointed.

Sunako approached and kneeled beside the girl to check her out, "are you alright?" The girl just looked at her for 2 seconds then stared at Kyohei's way who was also looking at her for another 2 seconds and gazed away, started feeling the ground, obviously looking for something in particular, "Y-yes, I'm fine, T-Thank you for the help," she finally answered.

"Are you looking for these?" Sunako asked as pick the pair of shades on the ground near the girl. _"Shades?" _she could not help but wonder, _"at this hour?"_

"Oh yes, right. Thanks." She replied and grabbed the thing from Sunako's hand without even looking at the subject of her gratitude. Kyohei and Sunako just watched her as she wear the shades and stood up. Sunako also stood up.

"Are you hurt, or something?" Sunako insured.

"N-no, I-I'm really fine." She managed to answer as she dust off her uniform. She looked up at her two rescuers but immediately retreated. She, then started covering her eyes from whatever might be blinding her.

"Hey miss, are you really fine?" Sunako asked the third time. She took a step forward and the girl took two steps backward, then fell at her butt making Sunako take another step forward and causing the girl to crawl twice backward.

"D-don't worry about me. I-I'm really fine," she managed to stand up and then ran away as fast.

The two just remained speechless.

**A/N**: I'm sorry. I know that was a long update. I've gotten busy and have only find spare time to update just recently. I hope you understand. And please, please, please R&R! :)


	4. Chapter 4: The Introduction

**A/N: Before anything else, let me remind you, I DO NOT OWN YAMATO NADESHIKO. Of course, you know it. :)) Just in case. :))**

**In the previous chapter:** Sunako and Kyohei seemed to have gotten in the same interest (if that's the right word) over a freshman girl who is kind of weird (even in Sunako's opinion). On the way home of the two, they suddenly came across with the same girl who, by then, was being bullied by three guys. They came to her rescue.

**No Longer**

_**Chapter 4**_

_**The Introduction**_

"What might be taking them so long?" a dark-haired guy reading a book finally voiced out.

"Who knows?" a grinning red-hair sitting at the sofa across the other lad answered. "Kyohei must've already figured out his feelings for Sunako… ROMANTIC feelings and… and…" he continued as he stood up, grinning wider and making his 'unmanly' gestures, "and waited Sunako patiently by the door of her classroom… and when the right time came, grabbed her by the waist… and of course surprising Sunako and *smooooch*, kissed her and…"

"I'm hungry!" Yuki cracked in.

"Hey! You're not even listening to my story!" Ranmaru yelled at his two comrades who were not really paying attention, making him sink back to his seat, cross legs, pouting.

"Oh! I think I sounded just like Kyohei," Yuki thought aloud, "but seriously, where are those two?" asking no one in particular.

"I just told you! They're probably making out by now…" Ranmaru started again.

"I'm pretty sure they'll be here in no time. Maybe something just came up," Takenaga wittily replied.

"You're still not listening" the red-haired pouted.

_Ding dong_

"That's right Takenaga, that might be them," Yuki agreed as he stood up, "I'll open the door," he offered.

"Welcome home!" the guy who opened the door greeted enthusiastically.

"We're home!" Sunako and Kyohei announced.

"What took you so long? Huh?" Ranmaru who followed Yuki, barged in, "Kyohei! Did you had a great time, dude?" asked the 'ever-pervert' as he walk beside the subject.

"Just what do you mean?" Kyohei plainly asked back while he look at him.

"Oh c'mon! you know what I mean! You're also a man!" replied Ranmaru.

"Oh! You mean, the fight we got in?" Kyohei inquired, obviously not getting Ranmaru's idea.

"Yeah! Yeah! Whatever you call it! So how's it?" Ranmaru posed out, obviously not also getting Kyohei.

"Nah! Not fun at all," was the blonde's plain answer.

"WHAT? That's so mean! How could you even say that in front of Sunako?" Ranmaru freaked out and gained the attention of everyone else in the house.

"Whaaat?" asked Kyohei in a total confused state, "what's wrong about saying that in front of Nakahara? She felt the same, anyway."

"WHAT? Is that true Sunako-chan?" exclaimed the red-haired frantically.

"Is it about the fight? Well yeah, I also did not have much fun. It's boring," Sunako flatly answered.

"What kind of people are you? You are supposed to have fun, pleasure, happiness. Seriously, what's wrong with you?" the ever-pervert finally gave in, producing some dark aura around him.

"Besides how can we have fun when there were only three?" Kyohei said to no one in particular, giving Ranmaru another dirty thought when, fortunately Sunako broke in, "and you were so greedy. You knocked off two of them, I only brought down one. That's unfair."

"Eh?" Ranmaru jerked.

"So you really got very disappointed about it huh, Sunako-chan?" Yuki questioned.

"Good thing, you weren't hurt or something, the both of you," even Takenaga voiced out his concern.

"Eh?" Ranmaru yanked the second time, "so you were referring to a real fight all this time?"

"Hn. Why? Is there something else?" Kyohei responded.

"*sigh* Nothing," he just said, _'and I was the only one thinking it _that_ way, I'm so pathetic.'_

"Hey Sunako-chan! What's for dinner?" Yuki asked out of nowhere.

"We have limited supplies here already," she announced as she check the fridge and the food cabinet, "so maybe it'll be better if you just eat outside."

"What? Are you kidding? I'm still broke. I can't afford to eat outside," whined Kyohei.

"Then, you'll have to bear with hunger," she retorted.

"Are you serious? I've had enough of the hunger thingy,"

"Then eat outside,"

"I told you I'm broke,"

"Is that so, Sunako-chan?" Yuki pierced in.

"Come to think of it, I don't remember the five of us eating at a restaurant or something together, have we?" Ranmaru asked thoughtfully.

"Hmm. You're right Ranmaru, we haven't yet," agreed Yuki as thoughtfully as Ranmaru, "maybe we should try that one time."

"yeah, I want the idea." Ranmaru replied.

"why not now?" Kyohei joined in.

"But I thought you're broke?" Yuki asked.

"Yeah."

"Then why are you proposing to do it this time, then?"

"Because I think that there will be a good guy out there that would lend me some money…?"

"who would?" everyone reacted in unison, even Takenaga who were sitting quietly all those time.

"WHY YOU!"

"Fine then, I'll just shop and buy the needed supplies," Sunako broadcasted as she walk towards the main door, "but that might still take long so if you get hungry, you can just eat somewhere else."

"YEY!" everyone rejoiced including Takenaga.

After about 2 minutes of silence since Sunako closed the door, "Wait a minute, isn't it already too dark for Sunako-chan to leave the house and shop for OUR dinner?" Takenaga blurted out. Then there's silence.

"Yah right. I feel sorry for her. She went home late already and would still have to cook us dinner. How of a monster can we guys be?" Yuki was really sorry and disappointed for themselves.

"I guess, she really wanted us to just eat outside but we just keep on making our reasons that she had no other choice but to cook for us." Ranmaru suggested even more sounding sorry, "go after her Kyohei!"

He almost spurted out all the water he was drinking when the conversation suddenly shifted to him, "What the hell? No way! Why do I need to do that. It was your idea so you do it." he snarled and he noticed everyone getting up from their seats.

"Since you haven't changed yet, you can just go like that," Ranmaru said as-a-matter-factly, "besides you were the one who kept on whining about being broke and stuff,"

"And where are you going? The three of you?" Kyohei asked accusingly.

"Changing." Replied a red-haired.

"And why?" asked Kyohei.

"We're eating somewhere else."

"Ahah! So that's it! You're leaving me behind!"

"Yeah sure," Ranmaru replied bluntly. "I wish we could just really do that," he admitted.

"You go after Sunako then follow us to the restaurant that we will mail you afterwards." Takenaga explained. It was rather amazing how the three lads had the same idea when they were not even talking about it, "we will just, I guess, lend you some money" he finished.

Kyohei's face literally lit up at that, "YOU ARE REALY, REALLY KIND!" and then immediately came storming towards the door, ready to go after Sunako.

"Okay! Now, where could she have gone to?" the ever-bright creature of the light just had the gate of the mansion closed and was asking no one in particular, "She must have not gone too far yet," he thought aloud as he, then, started walking towards the direction of the market.

He continued walking through the dark streets, carefully surveying each direction. But he was almost at the market and still no Sunako. "She's fast. How could she have gone too far already," again, announcing it to himself, _"but in any case, I have to find her. Or I'll be late for dinner…"_ thinking that way, yes, that's so like him.

"Wait a minute, they did not emphasize that I have to get her back, did they?" he suddenly thought. He recalled Ranmaru's statement: _"You go after Sunako then follow us to the restaurant that we will mail you afterwards." _"He did not pointed out that I have to go with her… yes, that's right! I could just go back and tell them that I cannot find Nakahara," it was easy to convince himself. He turned back to the opposite direction and started humming while leaping cheerfully at the thought of the fo— _"But… WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE!," _something's missing. He put his hands inside both of his pockets and then to the others as well, "MY PHONE!"

"_Okay, calm down Kyohei. You can figure something out..."_ it was an attempt to keep himself calm but, _"NO WAY! MY LOGIC HAS BEEN CLOUDED WITH THE THOUGHT OF THE FOOD! WHATWILLIDO?"_ In his thoughts, he's panicking. Well, good thing, he's great with keeping it to himself. He just a scratched his head lightly and that's it. But that doesn't make any difference, though. How could he know the restaurant to where the three have gone off to. "I know! I can just go back home and g—" he was cut off because he knew it is no good. They surely locked the doors. That's what they always do when everyone leaves the house, and the worst part is, he doesn't have a duplicate key—he refused to. _"Great! So I'm stuck in the streets, hungry, broke, ALONE." _He pity himself as he walk to a nearby bench to restrain from passing out because of disappointment.

He remained settled for another 10 minutes, trying to somehow figure something out. but the attempt was quite a failure, all ideas were up to no good, then randomly, he remembered Sunako's words, _"then, you'll have to bear with hunger"_. Now, that sounded like a curse, _"it really does,"_ he thought affirmatively. "Now, what am I gonna do?" losing hope, he sighed.

He stood and decided to just have a walk.

The breeze was freakin' cool. It really feels like Christmas already. He cannot even help himself from thinking the same way. And that reminds him of how he spent last Christmas with his comrades… and with Sunako. He thought it was kind of weird, no, it was really weird to think that he had fun with the girl. Not that he never did because actually, he always does, but he just can't imagine how each moment with her—with someone with a weird and creepy habit and personality, become something worth remembering like what he does right now. _"she makes weird sounds like that and moves creepy as that and most of all produces a dark aura just like that," _he thought as he gaze to a distance. "like that?" he repeated his thought. And only then did he realize that he was really looking at some human form that moves creepily and produces a dark aura and from whom he was hearing that weird sounds from and the scariest part is… _"I-IT'S MOVING TOWARS ME~~~"_ He wanted to scream but no sound is coming out. He wanted to move out of her way and run as fast as he could but he could not move a muscle. All that he can do is watch it approach his stiff form.

Slowly… very slowly… "AAAAAHHHHHH!"

It's a miracle he didn't broke his voice box when he felt a hand over his shoulder. He immediately stood up from his seat and was ready to run like hell when he realized it was Sunako. They were both dumbfounded at the moment. Kyohei, because of fear, and Sunako, because of the weird look on Kyohei's face.

"W-what happened?" Sunako could only ask but she has to wait for Kyohei to calm down and catch his breath.

"[gulp] T-T-There's a… a ghost!" he managed to answer and point out the direction where he saw the form that brought him to this state despite shivering like mad. The last word was actually enough to light up Sunako's face. "Where?" and immediately surveyed the direction the blonde pointed to. "Hey! What do you think are you doing?" Kyohei voiced out of concern. Or not? He was actually just afraid to be alone on that very spot where he almost peed on his pants.

As Sunako survey the possible proximities, Kyohei has been hiding himself behind her. "Where is the ghost? I see nothing!" Sunako whined in frustration. "I-I don't know. And I definitely don't care. I-I just wanna go home right now. Shall we?" Suggested he. But Sunako's not ready to give up just yet, "but I wanna see it," she insisted, "I shall." as soon as that was said, a sound was heard from behind them, the sound of ruffling leaves. Sunako's violet orbs immediately focused on the spot and ran towards it, Kyohei still hiding behind her.

Unfortunately, they were late. The 'ghost' has already escaped. And the only thing they found there was a card. Sunako picked that up hoping it was a clue to what the 'ghost' would like to imply to them. She examined and finally concluded, "it's no ghost," sounding rather disappointed.

"Eh?" Kyohei voiced out in disbelief. He walked to Sunako to see what the card contains that lead her to that unbelievable conclusion– that 'thing' really seemed to be a ghost, he would insist.

The card bears the logo of Mori High on the top left portion. Millimeters below that, a name is written on it, "Eiko Ogawa", Kyohei read aloud. And right below it reads "ichinensei" (freshman). Beside the name was a picture which took the both of them long to recognize. It's not like they know her personally but, yes, she was the girl they saved just a while ago. Furthermore, the same girl who caught their attention during the middle of the class.

**A/N: **There it is, finally! The update! I'm sorry it took me long. I never really intended to leave it hanging like that quite some time. I was just really busy with school stuffs. Anyhow, I hope you liked it.

I know it was another cliffhanger but I hope you hang on it a little longer. Please? I'll update as soon as I find time. R&R PLEASEE~?


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